The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion" or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, infringe the freedom of speech, infringe the freedom of the press, limit the right to peaceably assemble, or limit the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Although the First Amendment only explicitly applies to the Congress, the Supreme Court has interpreted it as applying to the executive and judicial branches. Additionally, in the 20th century, the Supreme Court held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applies the limitations of the First Amendment to each state, including any local government within a state.
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a national religion by the Congress or the preference of one religion over another, non-religion over religion, or religion over non-religion. Originally, the First Amendment only applied to the federal government.
Subsequently, under the incorporation doctrine, certain selected provisions were applied to states. It was not, however, until the middle and later years of the twentieth century that the Supreme Court began to interpret the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses in such a manner as to restrict the promotion of religion by state governments.
So it was a misunderstanding of the Fourtheenth Amendment that led Sarah Palin to blur the line between church and state...
Although she didn't try to establish a state religion, her boundaries were somewhat loose.
Religiongate is very complex and it would be impossible to review in one single post. Sarah Palin has played down the role of her religious allegiances during the VP run, but in many of her speeches since she left the state of Alaska behind she has mentioned God as the one entity involved in her decision-making processes. Her secret Twitter account, @mckinely777 appears to have some biblical significance. [Other evidence of the importance of 777 may be found HERE, HERE and HERE]. Coincidence? Sarah Palin doesn't believe in coincidences...
There is a strong Dominionist movement in the country and the Bush administration made inroads into many sectors of society, in particular education. Many states now have creationism as part of the school curriculum, for example. The aim seems to be to get them young so when they grow into voters, some ideas have taken root.
Although I don't believe Sarah Palin can be elected president, there are too many variables and also precedents in dodgy presidential elections. Should she make it all the way to the White House, we may see her showing her true colours regarding her church and religious allegiances, a very frightening thought. Another administration furthering the Dominionist agenda could inflict irreparable damage on another generation on future voters. (H/T to SI Johnson for the 777 find) Good articles HEREand HERE
A very revealing book by Leah Burton may be pre-ordered HERE (H/T to Ripley).
There has been and will continue to be debate about the formation of a “3rd” Party, and whether or not Palin and the vocal minority that support her are in the process of firing one up.
Essentially, the Republican Party in America is imploding, and the Political Dominionist interests that hi-jacked it 30 years ago are getting some pushback. So what happens now? Well, a battle that could either bring down the GOP, or fracture it severely leaving a dismal chance of recouping even a shred of credibility and legitimacy of who they once were.
To this I say…bring on the split! These dominionism theologists (such as Palin) need to move their extremism into a Party that is conducive to their twisted views of America being founded as a Christian nation. She and her ilk are a minority, but a minority that disbanded the GOP and alienated the secular conservatives who once steered their Party with dignity.
In their drive to wed church & state, they have turned this into a mockery. The embarrassment is international! Simply by allowing bigoted and hateful blowhards like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter to even pretend to represent any assemblance of GOP leadership was the sign of an irreversible cancer diagnosis for the republican party.
So now…where do they go? I have written a couple of posts in the past few months about this very topic and I continue to get comments from those who defend Palin as a Republican; and then those who argue emphatically that she is actually a Libertarian; but I will hold to my assertion that if she were a FIT for any Party that is already in place…it is without a doubt…the Constitution Party.
So…I offer this analysis in response. Let’s first look at the overriding platforms of both Parties…
As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others."
Already Palin’s wheels fall off the LP track, given that the dominionist theology that she is devoted to wouldn’t have a purpose if they were to endorse individual sovereignty free of their skewed religious beliefs.
"We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.
Consequently, we defend each person’s right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power.
In the following pages we have set forth our basic principles and enumerated various policy stands derived from those principles.
These specific policies are not our goal, however. Our goal is nothing more nor less than a world set free in our lifetime, and it is to this end that we take these stands."
LP Platform Statement of Principles (only these two are necessary to make my point)
"1.3 Personal Relationships
Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the rights of individuals by government, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships.
1.4 Abortion
Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration."
These two LP principles alone are counter to Palin’s religio-political beliefs without a shred of doubt!
The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States."
Okay…right here in the first paragraph…SOLD! Now this is talking Palin!
"This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.
The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries[...]
[...]The U.S. Constitution established a Republic rooted in Biblical law, administered by representatives who are Constitutionally elected by the citizens. In such a Republic all Life, Liberty and Property are protected because law rules. We affirm the principles of inherent individual rights."
Now let’s look at the two CP principles on abortion and homosexuality that we covered above in the LP principles….and I am confident that you will instantly recognize the stark contrast between these two diametrically opposing view points and that it would be against Sarah’s religion to even consider complying with a pro-choice of anything preamble and platform.
"1) Sanctity of Life
The pre-born child, whose life begins at fertilization, is a human being created in God’s image. The first duty of the law is to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. It is, therefore, the duty of all civil governments to secure and to safeguard the lives of the pre-born.
No government may legalize the taking of the unalienable right to life without justification, including the life of the pre-born; abortion may not be declared lawful by any institution of state or local government – legislative, judicial, or executive. The right to life should not be made dependent upon a vote of a majority of any legislative body.
2) Family
The law of our Creator defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman. The marriage covenant is the foundation of the family, and the family is fundamental in the maintenance of a stable, healthy and prosperous social order. No government may legitimately authorize or define marriage or family relations contrary to what God has instituted. We are opposed to amending the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of defining marriage.
We oppose all efforts to impose a new sexual legal order through the federal court system. We stand against so-called “sexual orientation” and “hate crime” statutes that attempt to legitimize inappropriate sexual behavior and to stifle public resistance to its expression. We oppose government funding of “partner” benefits for unmarried individuals. Finally, we oppose any legal recognition of homosexual unions."
Now -you tell me. If you were a Palin ideologue…which party would you feel an affinity with? It is abundantly obvious and very disturbing…
May 22, 1997: Rev. Harold Caballeros (given at Intercessors 500, Atlanta, Georgia)
I saw a map of this great nation. . .and I saw this hand crossing the map with some lines, and I started to watch closely. . .the second line started in the state of Texas and went up from Texas to Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois. But something happened and this same line started to go again from Texas, and it made a turn to Montana and then from Montana to ALASKA. And dear brothers, the fire of the Holy Spirit came, fell down on Alaska in such a way that the ice and the snow started to melt. I asked, "What can this mean?" He said, "I am going to melt the ice and the snow and it will turn into water because the water from the snow and ice will be a mighty outpouring of rain, but not normal rain, not regular rain, the rain of the Holy Spirit." I am prophesying in the Name of Jesus, the rain of the Holy Ghost will descend from Alaska. Then, He said, "the divine connection between Alaska and Puerto Montt, Chile, because Alaska is in the north extreme, while Puerto Montt is in the southern most extreme. . .the showers will go north from Puerto Montt, and the showers will go south from Alaska and they will meet in the middle of the continent. Revival! Revival! Revival! A mighty revival of the Holy Spirit!"
This drivel comes courtesy of a website called Windwalkers International. Some background on Mary Glazier, who wrote the Overview on the website:
Mary Glazier heads an Alaska-based prayer ministry called Windwalkers International. Charisma caught up with her on her way to a prayer meeting in Anchorage, the purpose of which was to pray specifically for Palin. This is nothing new, according to Glazier. "We actually began to pray for [Palin] before she became mayor of Wasilla," Glazier says. "We felt then that she was the one God had selected."
For several years, Glazier and other members of Windwalkers have prayed for Palin regularly—first when she was the mayor, then when she was the governor of Alaska, and when she was a vice presidential candidate. Last spring, Palin called Glazier and asked her to pray with her over the phone, and they met at the governor's prayer breakfast.
"She asked me to pray with her for wisdom and direction," Glazier recalls. "I sensed a real heart of surrender to the will of God in her. God often chooses the least likely people to be at the forefront, and I do believe that God has equipped [Palin] for this hour."
Glazier told Charisma that members of Windwalkers had received words of knowledge about Palin being "called to impact the nation." At that point, they had no idea she would be running for the office of vice president of the United States.
The Christian candidate Mary Glazier mentions in the beginning is Wally Hickel, who won the election running on the AIP ticket.
They believe the melting of the glaciers is an expression of the Holy Spirit. This Mary Glazier character is clearly not sane and Sarah Palin continues to make appointments based on faith. In 2006 she appointed Rev Pat Donelson to the Suicide Prevention Council.
Donelson, of Wasilla, is a minister with extensive experience in Bush Alaska doing work in drug, alcohol and suicide prevention. He was director of Northwind School of Ministry in Wasilla from 2000-06, and for eight years was youth director for the Alaska District Assemblies of God, responsible for youth ministry to 87 churches. He founded and served for eight years as president of Carry the Cure, Inc. Using donated money and aircraft, this corporation took a multimedia inspirational program to villages across the state, encouraging youth to lead positive, sober and straight lives. Donelson received his ministerial training at the Ichthus Bible Training Center in Salem, Oregon, and has been ordained by the Assemblies of God and by Northwind Global Ministries. He was appointed to a seat reserved for a member of the clergy.
People who are suicidal are extremely vulnerable, easy prey to a church hellbent on converting "lost souls".
Now she has a bible thumping, testosterone pumping spokesperson.
The twit knows all about separation of church and state:
Thank you Wasilla for Trail of Healing! May God bless efforts of reconciliation; it shall be manifested in more respect for AKs First People 11:39 PM Jun 27th from TwitterBerry
Trail of Healing: Moller, Will Mayo, other Native leaders say important to remember past as we move forward, but must not live in the past 11:31 PM Jun 27th from TwitterBerry
John Moller attends Trail of Healing for admin today, says it was "awesome"! Many Natives from all tribes & non-natives from around AK went 11:25 PM Jun 27th from TwitterBerry
Sarah Palin sent John Moller to represent the state at this event:
Trail of Healing Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009 Place: Wonderland Park Description: Sign up now to bless our Native community. Help is needed for crafts, native games, food, and more.
Sarah Palin's states: "it shall be manifested in more respect for AKs First People".
Is she really saying that Alaska Natives will only earn respect if they "are lifted up to their place in the Body of Christ"? Does "respect" mean the Natives will rise to the heavens when the Rapture comes?
What does she mean by "Native leaders say important to remember past as we move forward, but must not live in the past"?
When Sarah Palin took the Evangelical Circus and her cookies to the wrong villages in Western Alaska during the energy crisis, she told the villagers that they had to follow Todd's example and "seize opportunities upon the North Slope". This is one of her ideas of moving forward. Leave the villages, abandon their way of life, disperse and stop being a thorn in her side. (And open up more land to "safely and responsibly develop our natural resources" as a bonus)
Sarah Palin believes that not only should the Natives abandon their traditional way of life, but also embrace the teachings of HER church in order to earn respect and "be saved".
Throughout history, missionaries have caused untold damage to entire aboriginal communities, everywhere in the world. People were coerced into abandoning their benign, natural gods to worship somebody else's intolerant, vindictive god. In order to look after the temples built by these sanctimonious missionaries, nomadic tribes had to stay put and their whole lives and ability to survive were seriously compromised. Missionaries brought fear into the lives of people who were in perfect harmony with nature and their own gods.
The Assemblies of God and some other evangelical, pentecostal churches are very hot on missions and have indoctrination programs to spread the word.
There is provision in the Constitution regarding the separation of church and state. The idea is to ensure FREEDOM to exercise faith.
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a national religion by the Congress or the preference of one religion over another, non-religion over religion, or religion over non-religion.
This principle was extended to the states through various Supreme Court decisions.
Sarah Palin has admitted that she believes Jesus Christ will return to Earth in her lifetime. That's what she and her churh believe is "The Rapture".
I found a website called Rapture Ready and the following definition came from their FAQs page:
What is the "rapture" and when will it happen?
The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Jesus will come in the air, catch up the Church from the earth, and then return to Heaven with the Church. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we are given a clear description of the rapture: "the dead in Christ will rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord."
The main thrust of this website is to prove that the rapture will occur prior to the beginning of the tribulation. This has been well researched and documented throughout the site. But, whether Jesus returns for the Church before, during, or after the tribulation, the primary goal is that all people are ready to face the Lord and give an account for their lives.
The rapture concept is a relatively new belief. It is essentially ignored by most other Christian faith groups. It does not form a part of any other religion. It is dismissed by essentially all liberal Christian theologians. Many mainline and liberal Bible handbooks, commentaries, dictionaries and encyclopedia do not even list "rapture" in their indices.
The Rapture can't come soon enough. What they call "The End of Days" will mark a new beginning for sane people who don't buy this Rapture concept.
When these narrow minded, intolerant, holier-than-thou lunatics ascend directly to the heavens forever, we'll finally be free to mind our own business!
Hurry up!
(Click on images to enlarge)
Please read this article, written in January 2009. It's an eye opener! .
Former U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld used 'biblical images' to deliver reports on the war in Iraq to President Bush.
One example had a U.S. Abrams tank in the desert and below it the biblical quote from Ephesians: 'Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.'
Another brief showed an image of Saddam under a quote from the First Epistle of Peter: 'It is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.'
The biblical remarks take on a greater significance as it is now known President Bush considered he was on a mission from God when he ordered the 2003 invasion.
Sarah Palin said something on the same lines:
The snippet above was filmed on the day Sarah Palin addressed the Masters Commission graduates at the Wasilla Assembly of God. She claimed travel and expenses from the state to speak to her supporters. When challenged about it, her office said it was OK because she had attended the installation of Rabbi Michael Oblath. I very much doubt that Sarah Palin considered the congregation at the synagogue instrumental in her elevation to the office of governor. I can't see them joining hands, asking God to make a way for her...
Sarah Palin has great difficulty keeping her personal agenda out of her conduct as governor. It is the fact that she mixes her personal interests with state business that has landed into so much trouble regarding ethics, be it family travel or advertising her husbands sponsors. The religion issue has not been properly challenged yet.
Please note that on the second video she goes along with the concept that Alaska is the last refuge in the end of days, joining in prayer, etc. Perhaps that explains her approach to governing and her refusal fo invest state funds in some areas.
The end is nigh!
Sarah Palin praised pastor Muthee, saying what a powerful message he had. The following video shows how his Evangelical Church works in Nigeria:
Links Part 1 of the address to the Masters Commission All Religiongate posts Article about Palin and Muthee Article about Muthee Article about Rumsfeld and Bush .
I would like to expand on the ideas explored in Religiongate. The purpose of this further look into the subject is to show a pattern that guided Sarah Palin as mayor of Wasilla and now guide her actvities as the governor of Alaska, a pattern that would be repeated nationwide in the unlikely event of her attaining the office of president in 2012.
2005
In the video above, Pastor Muthee is very clear about infiltrating many areas of society in the name of Jesus and mentions politics and government. He then proceeds to pray for Sarah Palin, asking God to advance her political career because they need the righteous in positions of power. Sarah Palin went along with it.
2006
Sarah Palin was elected governor of Alaska. The righteous achieved a high position in government. As governor, she was invited to many religious events, including the 2007 installation of Rabbi Michael Oblath at Congregation Beth Sholom in Anchorage, as her spokesperson Sharon Leighlow pointed out when the governor was challenged for her attendance at Wasilla Assembly of God on the state's dime, stating that it was the same thing.
The majority of religious events attended by Sarah Palin and her family and billed to the state are linked to Christian churches, mainly Evangelical, and in a few cases Pentecostal.
Considering the agenda of the Assemblies of God and other Evangelical movements of infiltrating all areas of society, including the government, Sarah Palin's attendance at these events - as governor - constitutes a conflict of interest.
2008
Sarah Palin attended the graduation ceremony of the Master's Commission as governor and billed the state for travel and per diem. Her address was deeply personal. She didn't speak as governor, as she probably did at the installation of Rabbi Michael Oblath in Anchorage. She attended the synagogue as governor and could only speak as governor. In Wasilla she spoke passionately as Sarah Palin, while charging the state as governor.
2009
Sarah Palin took the Evangelical circus to the Yukon Delta, visiting two villages where they distributed tons of food to people who didn't need it. The boxes of food had pamphlets promoting the Evangelical movement. She went there as governor and took the opportunity to spread the word of God in the shape of Franklin Graham and the Samaritan Purse.
2007/2008
Juneau Pentecostal church asked the Alaska state government for cash for a new youth center. Gov. Sarah Palin, who had recently started worshipping at the church, vetoed the legislative appropriation from the capital budget, explaining it was “not a state responsibility.”
But by the time this year’s budget negotiations rolled around, Palin had become very involved in the Juneau Christian Center, attending an increasing number of services there, touring the youth center with her family (she charged the state for Willow's travel to visit the center), citing the pastor as among her spiritual guides, and appearing with the pastor at a Martin Luther King Day celebration and a religious conference where he laid hands on her while praying.
During this year’s capital budget writing process, Palin penned a letter to lawmakers “in support of the Juneau Christian Center’s new state-of-the-art youth center,” and she approved $25,000 for the center in May, even as she sparked a backlash from officials around the state for slashing spending from projects they deemed crucial to their areas.
The Hub exists in other communities and their purpose is to offer young people alternatives, taking them off the streets, but with a view to shaping the future of the country. The Assemblies of God have a program called Kidcare America. From their literature: "Kidcare America, once a mind has been stretched it never snaps back into place. For that reason it is vital that we seek after training for the development of our lives for the ministry God has called us into."
Parents seem happy to send their children to these centers:
"My son is shown daily that he matters to the staff, to other kids, and most importantly to God! I thank God daily that North Shore Assembly of God has blessed so many lives to have an outreach such as Kids' Place."
"I am most pleased with my choice to send my daughter to Kids' Place. . . She truly loves the generosity, warmth and caring she receives from all of you. She is also very pleased about learning about the Lord on a daily basis."
As I pointed out in the previous Religiongate post, Juneau Christian Center announced The Hub with the words "Destiny has begun! The new youth center for children through high school youth is taking shape."
The aims of the Juneau Christian Center:
Our Purpose: To win souls and make disciples! Our Passion: To Love God and Love People! Our Path: Win, Connect, Disciple, and Send.
SEND:As each believer progresses through the School of Destiny, he/she will branch out into a ministry.
It appears that the idea behind The Hub is to provide services for young, vulnerable and impressionable people in order to shape their "Destiny".
2008
The Evangelical movement is very powerful throughout the US... and very wealthy. During the Troopergate investigation, after it became political thanks to the RNC descending on Alaska to take control of the proceedings, state gift disclosures show it cost Liberty Legal Institute and the two law firms working with it $185,000 to represent six Alaska legislators in an unsuccessful lawsuit to halt their colleagues' "troopergate" investigation into whether Gov. Sarah Palin acted improperly in firing the state's public safety director.
The legislators listed a $25,000 gift of services from the Texas-based Liberty Legal Institute. Liberty is the legal arm of the Free Market Foundation, which is associated with evangelical leader James Dobson's Focus on the Family, and lists its guiding principles as limited government and promotion of Judeo-Christian values. The lawmakers also disclosed a $120,000 gift of services from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a national firm that appeared at hearings on behalf of Liberty Legal.
The extent of Evangelical and Pentecostal influence is illustrated in this example: D. James Kennedy, the evangelical pastor who blessed Bush before his run for president summed up the essence of the teachings behind the Assemblies of God, its missions and its associates in this quote:
"Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."
Here we have come full circle. We started with pastor Muthee and ended with pastor D. James Kennedy saying the same thing.
Sarah Palin was careful to distance herself from any particular church during the vice presidential campaign, but there's a clear pattern in her actions dating back to her time as mayor of Wasilla. She ran her campaign as the first Christian mayor and allowed rumours to circulate that implied that her rival, John Stein, was Jewish. He's a Presbytarian.
During the time Sarah Palin was mayor, her church became involved in taking over the board of the local hospital, Mat-Su Providence. The more conservative, fundamentalist churches, over a period of three or four years, were able to elect and control the operating board of the hospital.
Sarah Palin's actions reflect a distinct blurring of the boundaries between church and state. Throughout her administration Sarah Palin has stated that there are missions from God: the war in Iraq and the gas pipeline, for example.
Many aspects of Sarah Palin's beliefs are puzzling to outsiders. The activities that go on in her favoured churches seem somewhat disturbing to non-believers. She is free to worship anywhere, however strange the rituals involved in the services.
But how legitimate is the bias the Governor shows towards certain Christian movements? The level of involvement of herself and her family in the activities of these groups at the state's expense and the funding by the state of an indoctrination program would surely point to a conflict of interests.
Whilst the Governor has the freedom to worship as she pleases, using her office to promote a church that admits to having a clear agenda of infiltrating every area of society, including the government, does not seem appropriate.
Religiongate is taking shape... Sarah Palin's behaviour regarding church and state is not only unethical, it's unconstitutional as well.
Let's have a look at what has been uncovered so far:
$639.50 to address the "Master's Commission" at the Wasilla Assembly of God. This is just one instance of travel and per diem claimed from the state to attend a religious event.
$13,000 in taxpayer funds for the Governor and the First Family to attend at least 10 religious events and meetings with Christian pastors, including Franklin Graham, the son of evangelical preacher Billy Graham.
$25,000 in state money given to the Assemblies of God Juneau Christian Center.
Exerpt from the History of the Master's Commission:
Master's Commission was born in the heart of Larry Kerychuk. He began the Master's Commission program in 1984 in Phoenix, Arizona along with Pastor Carmen Balsamo as director. Students pledged one year of their lives to scripture memory, the study of the word, and ministry.
God has poured his blessing on Master's Commission and given opportunity for many other MC programs to develop in churches across the country and around the world. As the program spread from church to church the need arose for a network to be established to preserve the integrity and purity of heart with which this intense discipleship training program was created.
Master's Commission Wasilla Alaska (MC:WA) was started in September 2005. Pastor Ed Kalnins, our senior pastor, was part of the first Master's Commission class in 1984. His testimony and experiences from the program are a big part of why Master's Commission exists here in Wasilla. MC:WA was affiliated with MCIN in September 2006. We were recognized as an established and grounded program within the network at the 2007 Master's Commission Conference, joining with hundreds of other affiliated MC programs around the world.
Juneau Christian Center, which received $25,000 from the state for their program The Hub:
Our Purpose: To win souls and make disciples! Our Passion: To Love God and Love People! Our Path: Win, Connect, Disciple, and Send.
1. WIN: New believers are added to the church through relational evangelism, church services and outreaches. 2. CONNECT: Both new believers and new church members are "plugged in" to Juneau Christian Center. Life Group Leaders help these individuals become a part of the Life Groups that meet weekly in homes. (Please see Life Groups for more details.) 3. DISCIPLE: Individuals enter the School of Destiny which consists of five seven-week levels of study. The School of Destiny will equip believers. 4. SEND: As each believer progresses through the School of Destiny, he/she will branch out into a ministry.
The Hub, a youth program at JCC, was opened by Sarah Palin and can be found under the tab "Building for Destiny":
"Destiny has begun! The new youth center for children through high school youth is taking shape.
The purpose of The Hub is reach out to youth and parents in Juneau, giving kids a positive place: to grow in safety, build strong relationships, be encouraged to learn in surroundings that match their interests, acquire confidence and prepare for fantastic futures.
The Hub and Kid's Church will provide staff and activities for the "critical hours" after school for youth from 7th grade through high school.
The Hub is designed encourage kids to enjoy learning in academics, sports, music, art, finances, computers, health, and life skills. From IPOD/study stations and video game terminals to a pool tables and plasma screen TV's there is something of interest for everyone. Oh yes, The Hub also provides a cafe that serve smoothies, drinks and light food to encourage fellowship."
If Sarah Palin had donated $25,000 out of her own pocket, it would have been acceptable. What she does with her own money is her own business. I suppose these funds would have been approved by the Alaska Legislature? If that's the case, did they approve it thinking it was to fund a valuable youth project for the benefit of the community as a whole? Did they know it was a recruitment project for the School of Destiny?
How could addressing the Master's Commission of the Wasilla Assembly of God, which has the purpose of networking across the state to spread their own particular beliefs, be considered state business and expenses paid accordingly?
Sarah Palin has been known to worship at both these churches and if she wishes to promote their teachings she should do it with her own money, in her own time. Exactly the same principle should apply to other religious events attended by the Governor and the First Family. Why should the state foot the bill for events that under the Constitution are separate from the state?
The first amendment gives Sarah Palin the freedom to worship as she wishes. It also gives her the obligation to keep her religious preferences separate from the business of the state.
UPDATE: I have added this video and some new links. (March 24, 11:20)
